Shooting S&W 78G

I had an unknown number of shots with the loaded CO2 cylinder and took it out this afternoon for some plinking., chasing a soda can around the yard. I started at about 15 yards and ended somewhere between 20-25 all shooting standing up one handed. I need to do a lot more to get used to doing that way and do something about the sight, like paint the front red so I can center it in the notch better. I have a lot of floaters that make it difficult, but did extremely well considering. I had bought the gun on ebay and had it restored and am pleased, it's one of the earlier models with adjustable trigger and it is a nice two stage. The first cylinder I used, I learned I tried to remove too quickly and acutally padded the cap with a piece of leather and used pliers to loosen. Today I learned a lesson, when I started seeing the pellets flying low and sound changing I just dry fired it and the cap unscrewed easily. 
 
Once Co2 pressure gets pretty low you can dump the rest of the charge by pulling the cocking handles toward the rear (reverse of pushing them forward to cock the gun). How hard depends on how much pressure remains in the chamber at that moment.

Not just you that finds the sight-picture less than conducive to high precision. But I love those 78Gs!

SW 78 at 25.1621827294.jpg

 
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I always put a drop oil on the cart end. That did not help me with a Crosman 2240. I literally had to take the gun apart completely removing the valve so I could hold it in a vise and tap the cart off the piercing pin. I then pollished the pin to a mirror finish and have had no problems since.

With the 78g I notice that with any pressure left the knob is almost impossible to turn. When all the pressure was gone it was easy.
 
Once Co2 pressure gets pretty low you can dump the rest of the charge by pulling the cocking handles toward the rear (reverse of pushing them forward to cock the gun). How hard depends on how much pressure remains in the chamber at that moment.

Not just you that finds the sight-picture less than conducive to high precision. But I love those 78Gs!

SW 78 at 25.1621827294.jpg

I'll have to try that trick with the next cart.

I was surprised with the accuracy off a rest, Targets are great for zeroing and checking zero, but bouncing a tin can around is fun, especially with a handgun standing up shooting one handed. I did put a drop of red nail polish on the back of the front sight blade to see if that will help, it is not as bright as I would like, but will see later today if it helps.
 
"With the 78g I notice that with any pressure left the knob is almost impossible to turn. When all the pressure was gone it was easy."

That's not a S&W thing, that's normal for many Co2 guns. Unfortunately it's also why many Co2 guns have butchered tube caps!

I am learning. Never had a CO2 gun before this year, it was always springers. I like the convenience and ease of operation of the CO2 type. The first time I removed a cap with pressure still in it I padded the cap with a piece of old leather belt so I would not scar or butcher it. I now know to shoot or bleed the pressure out. I just today had the cartridge stick to the piercing pin on a Crosman 2240, really a pain to get out. I had to take the gun apart to get the valve and cartridge out, hold the valve in my vise and knock the cart off. I did notice some concentric rings either from grinding or machining the point on the pin, so I polished then out and then brought the end of the pin to a mirror polish. This is the second gun of this type that had this problem in the last couple of months.